Household article



A. MONTANO HOUSEHOLD ARTI CLE ,ym m, m25.

Filed Oct. 16, 1923 K6' Y K0 4f f3 5 Patented Jan. 20, 1925.

- UNITED STATES ANTONIO MONTANO, or LA JARA, COLORADO.

HOUSEHOLD ARTICLE.

Application iledOctober 16, 1923. Serial No. 668,845.

To all who/m, t may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTONIO MoN'rANo, a citizen of the United States,residing at La J ara, in the county of Conejos and State of Colorado,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Household Articles,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention is directed to improvements' in household articles fordining tables and provides a plurality of separate compartments embodiedin a single receptacle.

The invention further contemplates the provision of a table articlepresenting c ompartments at its upper and lower ends and which isreversible whereby it may be stood on either end without spilling thecontents, means being provided for normally closing the saidcompartments.

A further object is to provide a device of the character |abovespecified which is of generally improved construction and design, andwhich embodies the novel arrangement of parts as is describedhereinafter, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the proposed article, the same being invsection to illustrate the interior construction thereof,

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof, disclosing the closure means forthe upper compartment, and

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view, showing the closure means for the lowercompartment.

This table article is preferably made of glass, tho it may of course beformedof any other suitable material, and is shaped as illustrated inthe drawing whereby it comprises upper and lower cup members 10 and 11which open outwardly from each other and which have their inner adjacentends slightly spaced apart by the intermediate integral connectingportion 12. Portion 12 is suitably rounded, as shown, to provide agripping ring whereby the article may be conveniently grasped andlifted.

Cup 10 is provided with a plurality -of compartments, `preferably fourin number, presenting separate receptacles 13 which may be used forholding various purposes, such as for holding salt, pepper, tooth picks,and any other spices or articles. Cup 10 is reduced in thiclmessadjacent its upper edge to provide a shoulder or ledge 14 to accommodatea circular closure plate 15 which is secured to the central partition 16of the cup as indicated at 17. Plate 15 is provided with an opening 18above each compartment 13 and has a plurality of lids 19 mountedthereupon for closing the splid opening. These lids are arranged in pais as shown in Figure 2 and the members of each pair are connected byhinges 20, the bolt or pivotof the said hinges being a rod 21 arrangedtransversely of the upper end of the cup, as illustrated. A spring 22encircles the rod above each hinge and is suitably connected to thelatter for maintaining them in open position, the said spring beingtensioned to exert an outward thrust on the hinges. The lids aremaintained in closing position, against the tension of the said spring,by lock means including a casing 23 mounted on each lid 19 andsupporting a spring pressed latch bolt 24 normally engaging anopening 25in the adjacent wall of the cup. Normally engaged in the same Opening isthe lug 26 of a latch releasing' member 27, the latter comprising aspring har fastened to the side of the cup at one end byl a screw orother fastener 28 and flexed to normally position lug 26 within theopening. Consequently, when latch bolt 24 engages the opening, lug 26 ismoved outwardly against the tension of spring bar `27 whereby the latteris positioned as illustrated in Figure 1. I

When it is desired to release the lid of any compartment, it is merelynecessary to press the bar 27 inwardly to dislodge the latch bolt fromthe opening whereupon the lid Will be automatically raised to openposition with the action of spring 22. Lower cup 11 presents areceptacle of large capacity or which may be used as a sugar bowl. Thelouter edge of this bowl is provided with a shoulder 1 4 correspondingto shoulder 14 of the uper cup 10 and a closure plate 15 correspon ingto plate 15. However, plate 18 is provided with but a single Opening, asindicated at 29, which is provided in the fixed portion of the plate,the latter having a lid section 30, hingedly connected to section 15',as indicated at 31, the connection being in the form of aspring-actuated hinge as described above in connection with cup 10,whereby the section 30 normally tends to swing to open position touncover the sugar bowl. Latch and latch releasing means such aspreviouslydescribed are also associated wit cup 11 as indicatedgenerally at 32.

Closure 30 is used when filling the bowl with sugar for for drawing outthe. sugar with spoons, the smaller opening being useddor dispensingsugar in small amounts at a tnue, the amounts being regulated by meansof a, pivoted cut-oli? plate 33 pivoled on the under side of sectionl5', as indicated at 34 for swinging movement across opening 29, asuitable lug 25 being provided on the cutoff place :for engaging theside ot' the opening to limit movement of the cut-o?.

In use the article may be stood on either end Without spilling thecontents, the hd for the various compartments being normally held closedas above described to prevent escape of the contents. When the articleis positioned as shown in Figure 1 1t will be seen that the lower cupconstltutes the supporting base of the article, the weight of thematerial therein serving to 1ncrease the stability of the article, aswill be obvious. Since the device is reversible, end for end, it will beseen that either of the cups may be used as a base.

From the foregoing it is thought that the advantages and novel featuresof the invention can be readily understood and that further detailsthereof is not required.l

lV hat is claimed is:

l. A table article presenting a receptacle, a lid for the receptacle.latch means carried by the lid and normally holding the lid in closedposition, said latch means including a spring-pressed latch bolt engagedin an opening in the, wall of the receptacle, a springI for moving 4thesaid lid into open position automatically upon release of the said latchmeans`r and a latch releasing member consisting 'of a spring bar havingone end fastened to the side of the receptacle and having its other endprovided with a lug adapted, when forced into the said openon the saidrod, latch outward thrust ing of the receptacle to dislodge the saidlatch bolt.

A table article presentin a receptacle, a rod arranged transversely othe outer end of the said receptacle, a lid for the said receptacle,said lid being hingedly supported means carried by the said lid andnormally engaged with the receptacle for maintaining the lid in closedposition, a spring encircling the said rod and connected to thel saidlid for exerting an upon the lid whereby the latter is moved into openposition automatically upon release of the latch means, andmanually-operated latch releasing means on the outside ot' thereceptacle.

3. A table article including a receptacle presenting a plurality ofseparate compartments, a closure plate secured to the receptacle andextending over all the compartments, said plate being provided with anopening above each compartment, a plural ity of lids for closing thesaid openings, said lids being arranged in pairs with the members ofeach pair connected by hinges, a rod arranged transversely of the outerend of the receptacle and extending thru the said hinges of the lids toprovide the hinge holt of the connections. latch means carried b v eachlid and normallyengaged with the wall of the receptacle vto maintain thelid in closed position, springs encircling the said rod adjacent thehinges oi the said lids and connected to the latter for exerting anoutward thrust thereupon so as to move the lid into open positionautomatically upon release of the latch means and latch releasing meanson the outside of the receptacle and adjacent the latch means of eachcompartment.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

ANTONIO MONTANO.

